A few months ago, items listed to eBay.co.uk (largely) stopped being displayed in the search results for buyers shopping on eBay.com. Many of our sellers involved in the tail-end of the long-tail (media sellers, niche products) have seen sales hit hard with this change to visibility. It’s heartening to know that eBay is investigating how to address, without over-correcting their earlier change.

Minds at eBay.co.uk have announced a test, running from June 19th and visible to roughly 1% of shoppers on eBay.com. Listings from eBay.co.uk will be displayed according to four different sets of criteria. They’re, of course, looking at what the best way forward would be to allow listings to display for .com shoppers, without impeding domestic trade. Here’s the full announcement:
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/uk/200705.shtml#2007-05-29135444

It’s not as positive, though not surprising, that while they give, they also taketh away. The latter end of the announcement mentions adding .com listings into .co.uk search results. It’s mitigated by the requirements that the seller specify postage to the UK and has 98% positive feedback, though. On behalf of the sellers I represent, I want to grumble, but as a buyer I’m happy to see eBay in ANY geography try to address the shrinking product availability as they mature.

Just another response to flattening growth in the US and loss of market share, but one that isn’t all that bad.

Share This